A striking message saying "Bristol Uni Kills Animals" was beaming from a footbridge over the M32 as part of an animal rights group's campaign.

The huge illuminated letters were held up by campaigners standing on the bridge, which greets motorists as they enter the city, with the striking statement made in regards to the university’s alleged ties to animal research.

Around 30 protesters from Members of the Animal Justice Project (AJP) were at tonight’s demo which coincides with International Britches Day – celebrating the release of a macaque monkey called Britches from a US laboratory in 1985.

AJP founder Claire Palmer told the Bristol Post: “We are here basically as part of a global day of action against animal experimentation.

Protesters used bridge over M32 to send bold message to Bristol University

“We are here specifically to focus on Bristol University for two reasons.

“The first reason is their complete failure to respond to freedom of information requests over several years.

“The second reason is because of the cruel animal experiments that we have uncovered as an organisation.

“Half of all animal experimentation takes place at universities and we believe this is unacceptable.”

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The university has been the focus of AJP’s nationwide campaign Campus Without Cruelty, which was launched last year to tackle animal experiments allegedly taking place at education establishments across the UK.

The group claims around two million animal experiments are conducted on university campuses each year.

A Bristol University spokesman said scientists at the university adhered to high standards of care and welfare in any work involving living animals.

He said: “The university has designed, built and maintains dedicated facilities for the animals. Work of this nature is governed by the Home Office, and the university has processes in place to ensure that we meet their requirements.

"Together with other researchers, scientists at the university are committed to the ‘3Rs’; namely the reduction, refinement and replacement of animals used in scientific research.

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"Our researchers have made, and continue to make, significant contributions in this area, and have published their results in peer-reviewed scientific journals. However, alternatives have yet to be developed that can properly reproduce the complex biological characteristics of man and animals.

"Previously we have been unable to respond to specific detail requested via the Freedom of Information Act within the time limits set out by the act, as the university did not keep a central record of all of its animal licence information.

"However the university now has centralised software, which will make it much quicker to provide this kind of information in the future. We anticipate being in a position to publish some statistical data later this year."